Apple Time Capsule lives on with third-party antenna, 5TB hard drive update

Upgrade vendor Quickertek has upgraded stock Apple 802.11ac 2-terabyte Time Capsules with larger hard drives and a high-gain external antenna in a bid to keep the hardware relevant — but the enhancements come at a price.

The base upgrade replaces the stock hard drive in the Time Capsule with a 5TB hard drive. An upgraded unit retails for $499 through the QuickerTek website.

A $699 version adds further modifications, with the stock device not only boasting a 5TB hard drive, but a very large combination 2.4Ghz and 5Ghz external six-antenna array added to the top of the unit.

Both models offered by QuickerTek have a one-year parts and labor warranty through the company, as either modification violates the Apple-provided warranty on the hardware.

Apple's Time Capsule last saw updated hardware on June 10, 2013. Apple's retail price for the 2TB Time Capsule remains $299, with a 3TB model available for $399.

The last software update for the product was at the end of 2016, and fixed a long-standing "Back to My Mac" bug.

Near the end of November, reports started circulating — backed by AppleInsider sources — suggesting that Apple may be ending the AirPort family hardware. Former AirPort engineers are now reportedly working on other teams, including Apple TV development.

The internal departmental changes suggest that Apple has no plans to update its existing lineup of routers, including the AirPort Extreme, Time Capsule, and AirPort Express, but do not discount the possibility of the functionality being added to a different product. Apple's AirPort Express network extender and AirPlay audio target has not even been updated to the 802.11ac Wi-Fi specification.

Without specifically confirming the dissolution of the AirPort hardware division, were were told by our contacts within Apple speaking on the condition of anonymity that the AirPort ecosystem back to the 802.11n version of the AirPort Extreme basestation would be made "as safe as possible for as long as possible."

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42 Comments

JanNL

said about 7 years ago

Stylish /s

lkrupp

said about 7 years ago

This is why Jony Ive runs design at Apple.

SpamSandwich

said about 7 years ago

What the...

steven n.

said about 7 years ago

I have gone through a 6-8 WiFi routers trying to find one capable of covering my entire house without issue. The vertical Airport is the only one that worked. In fact, it covers my house and unto 2 houses down with no dead zones. Sweet.

For years, when people would argue if Apple was a software company or a hardware company, I made the point they were a systems house. They did both software and hardware designed to run in a tightly coupled manner. They used standards so you didn't have to use Apple stuff but their magic spice of system's integration made it so the experience was much better than anything els around if you did.

I am wondering if they are loosing this vision. Airport. Monitors...:-(

williamh

said about 7 years ago

AppleInsider said:

Upgrade vendor Quickertek has upgraded stock Apple 802.11ac 2-terabyte Time Capsules with larger hard drives and a high-gain external antenna in a bid to keep the hardware relevant -- but the enhancements come at a price.

So does this fly or something? I think it is safe to say that SJ would not approve. I want to just laugh but I wouldn't mind some facts about this, like what sort of increased range you actually get. I went to their website and didn't see that. Granted, I lost interest pretty fast.